wo young friends in sole possession of the bar. Nothing could
have suited the two young gentlemen better, and they set to work
to make themselves agreeable. They listened with lively interest
to the landlady's statement of the difficulties of a widow woman
in a house like hers, and to her praises of her factotum Dick and
her niece Patty. They applauded her resolution of not bringing up
her two boys in the publican line, though they could offer no
very available answer her appeals for advice as to what trade
they should be put to; all trades were so full, and things were
not as they to be. The one thing, apparently, which was wanting
to the happiness of Drysdale at Oxford, was the discovery of such
beer as he had at last found at "The Choughs."

Dick was to come up to St. Ambrose's the first thing in the
morning and carry off his barrel, which would never contain in
future any other liquid. At last that worthy appeared in the bar
to know when he was to shut up, and was sent out by his mistress
to see that the street was clear, for which service he received a
shilling, though his offer of escort was declined. And so, after
paying in a splendid manner for their entertainment, they found
themselves in the street, and set off for college, agreeing on
the way that "The Choughs" was a great find, the old lady was the
best old soul in the world, and Patty the prettiest girl in
Oxford. They found the streets quiet, and walking quickly along
them, knocked at the college gates at half-past eleven. The stout
porter received them with a long face.

"Senior proctor's sent down here an hour back, gentlemen, to find
whether you was in college."

"You don't mean that, porter? How kind of him! What did you say?"

"Said I didn't know, sir; but the marshal said, if you come in
after, that you was to go to the senior proctor's at half-past
nine to-morrow."

"Send my compliments to the senior proctor," said Drysdale, "and
say I have a very particular engagement to morrow morning, which
will prevent my having the pleasure of calling on him."

"Very good, sir," said the porter, giving a little dry chuckle,
and tapping the keys against his leg; "only perhaps you wouldn't
mind writing him a note, sir, as he is rather a particular
gentleman."

"Didn't he send after anyone else?" said Tom.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Jervis, sir."

"Well, and what about him?"

"Oh, sir, Mr. Jervis! an old hand, sir. He'd been in gates long
time, sir, when the m